Mel Bay Mandolin question

[SFIV1967]

Does anybody of you know what exact mandolin model is on the cover of May Bel's Fun with the Mandolin ?

I looked at Gibsons (A5 two point) and Alvarez (A500) but can't find that model with the straight cut fretboard over the oval soundhole.
Any idea with one this is?

Ralf

 

[walrus]

Epiphone?

http://vintagemandolin.net/vintage-epiphone-mandolin-excellent-condition/10193

walrus

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

pm MandoSquirrel...he can probably point you in the right direction for the info.

 

[mr.d.bluster]

It's a custom Gibson A5, "] made for Jethro Burns.

 

[SFIV1967]

Thanks all so far! Well, the Jethro Burns one has block inlays and a different tailpiece, so it's not that exact one. The Epiphone and Washburn mando's are also different. The book was from 1963 (!) so it is something old, maybe some other kind of Gibson A5 type.
The tailpiece points to an Aria, but they were not around before 1963 I think.
I have not seen MandoSquirrel around for a long time, will check.
Ralf

 

[mr.d.bluster]

eaceful:Actually, it's not Jethro's, as Ralf points out. But it could be an earlier model or prototype, or another custom, from Gibson. This prototype A-5 has the straight across fretboard and position dots, but is an f-hole version.

Edit: To catch up with Ralf.

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

I haven't seen Mando either...but he might still get notifications of pm's. Hope he's ok.

Have you tried http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/

 

[SFIV1967]

I know, there are plenty of similar looking models, I just couldn't find that exact model. Well, I hope I will find out sooner or later!
As I said, assuming all is original, the tailpiece, the label (I see something like a big "3D" on it (not visible in above compressed picture), the fretboard cut are probably the best giveaways.

Have you tried http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/

I am not a member there but read lost of the threads so far.

George Gruhn sent me a message telling me: "It is an Asian import copy of a 1960s Gibson A-5 mandolin."
Yes, I guess that is what it looks like, but I was wondering as the book is from 1963 and the Japanese import two pointers only came in the 70's as far as I know...
http://books.google.de/books?id=d60...epage&q=mel bay fun with the mandolin&f=false

But I think the answer is that the cover is not the original 1963 one and was changed later on. (Well the picture I posted initially is definitely changed as it shows a CD on it, but the one in Google Books does not).
So it is a Japanese copy of a Gibson A-5. Just trying to find which one of the many Japanese.

Ralf

 

[SFIV1967]

Quick update. I also got an answer from Mel Bay Publications, Inc. today: „According to Mr. Bay it is an Aria but he doesn’t remember the specific model Aria it is.“ (I assume the "Mr.Bay" in that case is his son Bill Bay.)

Also I found in the Blue Book of Guitar Values: “Aria (which means in Japanese: "expressive melody") is the trademark of the Aria Company of Japan…Mandolins first appeared in the mid-1970s with an F-5 copy. By the late 1970s, Aria was producing a full line of mandolins based on the popular Gibson A-style and F-style designs. Early series that were only produced in the mid- to late 1970s, include the PM and FM model lines. By the late 1980s, most production of Aria instruments was moved to Korea.”

Now I just need to find old Aria catalogs to see what exact model it is on the book cover. Most Aria two pointer mandolins I have seen had f-holes.

Ralf

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

Not sure if you're aware of the Matsumoku connection...you might find something here: http://www.matsumoku.org/models/models.html

 

[SFIV1967]

Not sure if you're aware of the Matsumoku connection...you might find something here: http://www.matsumoku.org/models/models.html

Thanks, yes, I was aware of this site and also looked through all documents but still couldn't find that specific model. There are many 80's documents and I think that mando is from the 70's. I am just curious, you know...
Ralf

 

[SFIV1967]

By the way, that was the final result of my search: http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?182887-NMD-Vega-VM-35
Ralf